


Unconventional Beauty

by dragonshost



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Autistic Character, Body Dysphoria, Bullying, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Infant Death, Miscarriage, Multi, Next Generation, Pregnancy complications, Self-Esteem Issues, but it's about the kids and their issues, but the notes will contain the ages, follows the kids, i swear that there is happiness in this fic, jumps around a little in time, let me know if i need to add one, not all of it is good, parents are in it and they do play heavy parts, the parents are not the greatest but they're not super horrible either, will attempt to tag squicky things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2019-06-14 08:12:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 17,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15384480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonshost/pseuds/dragonshost
Summary: It really sucks when your (male) best friend is prettier than you are. Lacey really wished she could have inherited her mother's petite curvaceousness instead of her father's height and... muscles...





	1. Lacey Dreyar

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story about being comfortable in your own skin. I've noticed that there is an expectation of a certain body-type for heroines in shounen. While that is part of the appeal of shounen, I think sometimes it detracts from the storyline and the character's personalities. Fairy Tail in particular has a plethora of busty babes, with only a couple of very petite girls thrown in good measure. So I'm offering a different definition of beauty here.
> 
> There may be some themes in here difficult or uncomfortable to read about, as it's the tale of a young woman's journey to accepting who she is. Not just her, but a lot of members of Fairy Tail's newest generation will have to redefine what it means to be beautiful and strong, and happy with themselves. Ask me to tag anything if it comes up - I've tried to get the major ones out of the way.
> 
> This is a drabble fic, mostly Lacey-centric. Updates will likely be extremely sporadic after I upload everything
> 
> First chapter ages:
> 
> Lacey Dreyar - 19  
> Jean-Luc Justine - 19

Fairy Tail – Lacey mused – has, ever since its inception over a hundred years prior, always been renowned not only for the strength of its mages, for the familial bonds they share, and for their wholly-terrifying destructive tendencies, but also for the sheer number of beautiful women who either flock to its members or are its members. In fact, the female mages had more female fans than the males did.

Lacey Dreyar, however, did not consider herself beautiful.

Not by any stretch of the imagination.

She loved her parents more than anything in the world, and to her they were hands down the most attractive couple she'd ever seen. Her mother was gorgeous, and had somehow retained her killer figure despite the toll of motherhood. Lacey thought there was no one in the world that could compare to her mother, with Lucy's large chocolate eyes, shining golden hair, and quite frankly incredible body. There was also no one kinder than Lucy, and even now she still held the title of The Light of Fairy Tail – much beloved by all in the guild.

Lacey deeply admired her father, too. She had looked up to his strength her whole life; not just his physical abilities (which sometimes bordered on monstrous), but also for the depth of his love for his family. Both of his families – Dreyar and Fairy Tail – never lacked for his affection, even if it was often gruff and ill-expressed. Her father sometimes still had issues communicating with people, though Lacey thought that only made him an even better role model. Still a handsome man, he had eyes only for her mother and someday Lacey wanted that for herself as well.

Jean-Luc, her best friend, had once joked that as the daughter of Fairy Tail's Guild Master and The Light of Fairy Tail that made Lacey the Princess of Fairy Tail.

Yeah, warrior princess, maybe. Because there was nothing delicate about her.

Lacey despised the way she looked.

She really wished she could have inherited her mother's radiant, petite curvaceousness. Instead, she got her father's intimidating height and... muscles.

Most people found her towering height frightening and off-putting. Lacey easily dwarfed all of the other women in the guild, and most of the men, too. In fact, only Titanus Strauss was obviously larger.

As if all that wasn't bad enough, Lacey hadn't a chest to speak of. Where most other young women of nineteen possessed bouncy, soft mounds, Lacey sported rippling pectoral muscles.

Laxus had decided early on in Lacey's childhood that his daughter would be able to defend herself properly. So he put his young child through a truly hellish training regimen to toughen her up. Not that she'd really needed it, as she'd been a tomboy to begin with – one that already liked to pound boys her age and even a little older into the ground. She'd loved it, though, despite the rigorous exercises and relentlessness of her drill-sergeant of a father.

The result of that being that Lacey developed into a very strong, buff individual. Combined with her height and square jaw, that made her the opposite of feminine beauty as far as she was concerned.

However, Lacey did love her eyes, and her hair. Her mother's luxurious, glowing golden locks had been passed down to her along with her father's stormy blue-gray eyes.

So there was that.

And she did rather like the feeling of power and strength that coursed throughout her body. Being able to hold her own against Titanus was always a bonus. So was being able to fend off the annoying gnats that flocked to Jean-Luc.

Speaking of which.

Lacey's internal monologue was cut short as she spotted her favorite greenette leaning against the side of a market stall. About to call out a greeting to her best friend, she paused upon discovery of the large number of men surrounding her friend.

This was not good.

Jean-Luc was widely regarded the most beautiful member of Fairy Tail's younger generation, with gorgeous light green locks and a face that was the epitome of femininity. Lacey often felt rushes of jealousy for her best friend's naturally good looks.

Because Jean-Luc was male.

Genetics are a bitch sometimes.

Then again, the beautiful young man often had to suffer from the unwanted affections of perverts much like the female population of the guild. Like right now, it seemed.

Rushing to her friend's side, Lacey wasted little time rescuing him. "Lacey Kick!" she announced, booting the sleazy men away from Jean-Luc. To her deep satisfaction, they flew across the square into the fountain.

"Jean, are you alright?" she asked, turning to her best friend.

He looked up at her with deep amusement. "Thank you for coming to my rescue, as always."

She grinned at him. "No problem!"

And it had been a rescue, but not from the men. In truth, by breaking their jaws Lacey had been doing those creeps a favor.

See, genetics had not been so nearly one-sided with Jean-Luc Justine. He was literally the perfect blend of both his parents. He'd received a double dose of delicate, feminine features, with long flowing light green hair, his eyes a breathtaking aquamarine, and an adorable beauty mark beneath his left eye.

He was, in truth, fully capable of taking care of himself against perverts like these, as he'd also received both Mirajane and Freed Justine's rather frightening magics.

Unfortunately, he had also inherited his parents' split-personality issues.

So really, Lacey was not rescuing him from the unwanted attentions of other men, but from being arrested for murder.

As the odd pair made their way to the guild, they chatted amicably about taking their team on a mission later.

And though they didn't realize it themselves, everyone they came across thought them to be the most handsome couple they'd ever seen.


	2. Lacey's Name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ages in this chapter:
> 
> Lacey Dreyar - 15

Lacey arrived at the breakfast table a few days after her fifteenth birthday with a very perplexed expression upon her face. This was not exactly an uncommon occurrence; even then she hadn't been a morning person and was often still deep in the grasp of the world of dreams over an hour past awakening. Often leaving her very confused about where she was and what she was doing when she finally came to. However, in this instance she seemed far more alert than usual, as she responded when her parents wished her a good morning.

Surprised and mildly alarmed by this abrupt change in behavior, Lucy checked her daughter's forehead for a fever. The girl was completely healthy, however, and more than a little irritated by the show of concern.

It was only once a protein-rich breakfast was set in front of the teenager that she finally voiced what was on her mind. "Mom, Dad? How did I get my name?"

The two adult blondes stared at her over their own meals – Laxus' almost an identical match to his daughter's and Lucy's with an unhealthy number of strawberries piled on top. "What brought this up?" Lucy inquired, as this was the first time Lacey had ever asked them. Honestly she thought it would never come up, as Lacey hadn't ever shown interest in the subject in her fifteen years of living. If the topic hadn't been discussed by this point, she assumed it never would. It was also strange in regards to how the girl was acting.

"Jean-Luc asked me, but I couldn't answer him," Lacey admitted, more than a little embarrassed that she'd never thought to even wonder about it let alone actually ask her parents for the answer. Maybe because she didn't really want to know before. Her first name wasn't often used, after all. Most people at the guild just called her 'Dreyar' or 'Blondie'. The only people who still referred to her by 'Lacey' were her parents, the old river boatmen, and Jean-Luc. It was just too… feminine and prissy a name for her. It didn't suit her at all.

Lucy nodded slowly. "I see." She contemplated it for a moment. "There isn't really a grand story behind it, or anything. Sorry, if that was what you were expecting, sweetheart." And then she paused, before adding, "Truth be told, we didn't even have a girl's name picked out. We were certain that you were going to be a boy – you even managed to fool Wendy and Porlyusica's magic."

"Great," Lacey muttered under her breath, trying to suppress the twinge of hurt she felt at the statement. She knew her mother didn't mean anything by it – she was far too kind to ever intentionally cause anyone she cared about harm, let alone her own daughter. But still.

Sensing her daughter's mood, Lucy reached out and pinched Lacey's cheeks. "That's not what I meant, dear. You have just been full of wonderful surprises for your father and I from the moment you were born. It makes you even more wonderful." She threw a sharp glance at her husband. "Isn't that right, Laxus?"

"Uh huh," he replied vaguely.

Lucy released her daughter's face and smacked her beloved upside his head.

"Owch! Dammit, Blondie! I'm agreeing with you!" Then he muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "Crazy, violent woman."

His wife smacked him again.

"I get it!" he yelped. "I get it!"

Actually, he didn't, but he wasn't going to say  _that_  out loud. He did possess  _some_  sense of self-preservation.

Lacey giggled at her parents, mood buoyed up by their playful interactions. "So, what was my name going to be, then?"

"Jude, after your grandfather." Lucy smiled at her daughter.

The teenager wrinkled her nose at the name. "Jude Dreyar sounds strange."

"That was my opinion but your mother insisted," Laxus interjected, earning himself another slap. He grit his teeth and breathed out through his nose before continuing, "Personally, I wanted to name you Luke."

Nodding, Lacey agreed, "Yeah, I like Luke Dreyar better."

Lucy sighed. "You two are closing ranks on me again, I can tell."

The pair grinned at her.

She threw up her hands in defeat. "Very well; if you ever end up with a little brother we'll name him Luke."

"So, why  _did_  you name me Lacey?"

"Really, all we did was combine my given name with your father's."

Laxus glanced at his wife, brow furrowed in sincere befuddlement. "That was the reason?"

Lacey raised an incredulous eyebrow at her father. "You didn't know, Dad?"

"No, that's not it. I just thought it was for a different reason."

"Care to enlighten us?" Lucy drawled, sarcasm dripping from every syllable.

Although his Dragon Slayer senses were warning him of impending danger, Laxus forged ahead. "I thought it had to do with that sexy little number you wore the night Lacey was con-"

He never got the opportunity to finish what he was about to say, for Lucy lunged at him.

Lacey watched with incredulity as her mother chased her father around the kitchen, trying to smack him.

With a skillet.

That still had hot grease in it.

By the time Lucy and Laxus were done with their skit, Lacey had finished her meal and cleaned up after herself. Halfway out the door, she called a farewell to her parents and ran off to the guild ahead of them.

The topic of her name was forever dropped.


	3. Birth of Friendship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Lacey Dreyar - 0  
> Jean-Luc Justine - 0

Although it was never outright stated to the pair's faces, most people outside of the Fairy Tail Guild thought the friendship between the radiant greenette and the muscle-bound blonde to be passing strange. At first glance, the two could really not be more different. Despite that, it was obvious even to those that didn't know them that, although physically unalike, that friendship was genuine. Their ease with each other, their playful banter, and the way they always turned to slightly face the other whenever they were near made beyond apparent their mutual regard and respect for each other.

The truth was that their close friendship had spanned their entire lives.

In fact, Jean-Luc Justine had been best friends with Lacey Dreyar since before they were born.

Mirajane Justine and Lucy Dreyar had become pregnant within a month or so of each other – the first of their generation (Bisca notwithstanding due to the time skip) to undertake the journey of parenthood. Ecstatic to have someone else undergoing the exact same ordeal – er,  _miracle_  – it was a huge relief to both women. And to their husbands by extension as hormones began to fluctuate.

It was true that both wives were already friends, just as their husbands were, before becoming pregnant. However, the shared tribulations and triumphs that came with impending motherhood brought them even closer together.

Binging on very odd combinations of food together with someone who was also shoveling in as much as they could take of pickles and peanut butter and parsnips and persimmons (and upon pain of death  _never_  forget the pear pizza) was something Freed and Laxus would never understand. It seemed to make Mirajane and Lucy extraordinarily happy, though. The men folk just couldn't relate to the burning, insatiable desire to douse everything within reach in ketchup and hot fudge.

Morning sickness woes, along with back pain relief remedies and tips for getting one's husband to perform the perfect foot massage were exchanged with the other resident mother in the guild, Bisca. Indeed, it was because of this support that all three women drew very close.

However, unlike Mirajane, Lucy's pregnancy was fraught with complications. Specifically, she was having bleeding problems. It started after her twenty-fourth week, and terrified that she was losing her child before she even had the chance to welcome her to the world, Lucy panicked. This only worsened her condition. After taking a look and diagnosing the bleeding as moderate placental abruption, Wendy and Porlyusica calmed the distraught mother-to-be and prescribed bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy along with copious amounts of raspberry tea. They would come to check up on her every couple of days to make sure the condition didn't worsen.

Days for the blonde dragged by but she swore that everything felt a thousand times better when Mirajane would visit. It was if all her pain and unease drifted away. Even her child would calm its incessant kicking during those times. Soon it was difficult to drag the white-haired woman from Lucy's side and most attempts to do so were met with an obstinate, hormonal demon's ire.

When Lucy finally went into labor one early evening, it was a mad rush to get her to the hospital where the guild's healers met up with them.

After a delivery oddly uncomplicated compared to carrying the child had been, Lacey was born. July 26th, Year X794.

Shortly thereafter, Mirajane and Freed burst through the doors to the hospital themselves. It was a full month earlier than her expected due date. Her delivery was as swift as her friend's (much to Freed's relief), her son born just minutes before the date change.

In what would become a pattern he would follow for the rest of his life, Jean-Luc ran to meet his best friend – unable to wait any longer.


	4. Growing Pains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Lacey Dreyar - 19  
> Jean-Luc Justine - 19  
> Titanus Strauss- 18  
> Lilo Strauss- 15  
> Oberon Strauss- 15  
> Fae Strauss - 5

Lacey was soon to be dethroned as the tallest woman in the guild – by a girl who would very much like to stop growing, NOW, thank you. Mostly because the fifteen year old teenager's body was lengthening at a pace her metabolism couldn't quite keep up with and every joint she possessed was protesting the sudden growth spurt loudly and painfully. Groaning, the suffering girl sprawled out on the table, unwilling to move.

The nineteen year old blonde rubbed soothing circles on her friend's back while Titanus and Jean-Luc looked on. Neither of the cousins knew much about this type of situation – Titanus had been large ever since he was born and had increased in size at a fairly consistent rate his whole life, and Jean-Luc had always been on the short side of average.

"Should I give you a manly massage?" Titanus asked his younger cousin, feeling very out-of-sorts at being rendered useless.

"Don't touch me," the bluenette growled at him. "My skeleton has taken enough abuse the last couple of days as it stands. And Dad's not helping. Every time I mention the agony, he laughs at me and says it will clear up in about a week. I'm not sure I can last the day, let alone another week of this!" she whined, dropping her forehead and pressing it against the table. "I think he's enjoying this, he is."

Jean-Luc glanced up at the second floor balcony, where the group's parents were. "Yeah, Uncle Bickslow is really enjoying this." The Seith Mage grinned at his nephew and waved from where he'd draped his gargantuan form over the balcony. Politely returning the greeting, Jean-Luc glanced at his incapacitated cousin. "He's just trying to show you that there's nothing to worry about, Lilo. I assure you – he's probably went through this himself."

"Still," Lilo grumbled, looking up again, "he could at least give me some decent advice other than, 'tough it out'."

Lacey laughed. "That's about the same advice my dad gave me when I was in training. 'I don't care if your legs fall off; if they do, I'll just glue them back on. Then you'll run another mile,'" she mimicked with a deadpan expression identical to the one he usually sported. "I'm pretty sure Bickslow picked it up from him."

"Titanus may have been right. A massage is probably a good idea," Jean-Luc said, patting Lilo on the shoulder. He had to fight to keep the smile from his face when she grimaced at the contact. Lilo would was only letting Lacey touch her because she adored and admired the older girl. Her older male cousins could go fight a dark guild for all she cared and she made her opinion on the matter obvious. "Have you tried rubbing the individual joints?" Jean-Luc suggested.

"Or you might take a mugwort bath," Lacey offered. "It helps with menstrual cramps so it should aid with this."

The boys grimaced at the mention of female body care that they would rather know nothing about.

Lilo perked up and glanced at Lacey. "I think I'll try that when I get home."

The blonde smiled and continued to rub circles on Lilo's back. "Glad to help." Then she frowned a little. "I suspect that this isn't just about the discomfort, though."

Titanus scowled deeply. "Those little town punks haven't been teasing you again, have they?"

The ensuing silence from the teenager was all the group needed to confirm their hypothesis.

"What have they been calling you this time?" Lacey sighed. Most members of the guild knew not to prod at truly sore subjects but that didn't affect the behavior of those outside of it. Lacey had had enough unpleasant encounters over the years with non-guild members to remember the teasing and taunts long after most learned that messing with the blonde earned them a right-hook to the face.

Letting out a sob, Lilo latched herself onto Lacey. With a heavy stutter brought on by tears and phlegm, she cried, "S-s-s-skele-girl!"

Due to her rapid height gain, the rest of Lilo's body mass was stretched thin. Very thin. The girl's cheeks were gaunt and her bones did, indeed, stick out everywhere giving her an almost-dead appearance. Filling out again in a healthy manner would take some serious diet considerations and alterations.

Jean-Luc shifted closer on the bench to Lilo and patted her back gently. Titanus reached down and ruffled her hair. Lacey continued to hold the youngest member of the group tightly and whisper any and all soothing words that came to mind. Having gone through this herself, Lacey knew exactly how Lilo felt. Being different from everyone else wasn't easy, and Lacey was determined that her friend never develop her own insecurities about her appearance. As she comforted her, Lacey thought about what might be done to ease the girl's mental suffering.

After a few minutes, the bluenette calmed down and withdrew from the embrace. However, the trio surrounding her stayed where they were in a protective ring around her.

Wiping her tears away, Lacey then patted her friend's cheek. "How about the girls all go shopping? That should cheer you up. You'll need a new wardrobe, anyway. Afterwards, we'll go out for ice-cream. What do you say?" Lacey knew that sometimes a new look could really bolster a person's self-esteem. It seemed shallow, but there was nothing quite like being able to say, 'I look good.' It just took more effort when your body type wasn't the norm.

If there were two things that never failed to uplift Lilo's spirits, it would be ice-cream and new clothes. Together they were a heady combination the girl was incapable of refusing. "You promise?"

"Yeah, we'll just go get the others."

"Mind if I tag along?" Jean-Luc asked. "I've got nothing better to do." Plus, who didn't like ice-cream? Clothes shopping was always dangerous for him (salespeople often mistook him for one of the girls and tried to get him to try on things), but he always went wherever Lacey was going if he could.

"You could always help me watch Fae," Titanus suggested. "Oberon's about due for a shift change."

Jean-Luc shook his head. "Nice try. She's  _your_ little sister. You deal with her. I'm not getting roped into that again."

The large man sighed. "It was worth a try."

As a peace offering, Jean-Luc added, "I'll keep an eye out for anyone who bothers Lilo and report back."

"Good man."

Lacey shrugged. "It's fine with me if you come."

"Me, too," the bluenette agreed. Jean-Luc was usually tolerable. Lilo unfurled from the table, her joints popping and cracking as she did. When she stretched and uncoiled further, everyone in a twelve-foot radius heard the audible snapping and creaking sounds.

The others did their best not to grimace at the noise. They were all pretty sure that cartilage shouldn't be able to make such horrifying noises.


	5. Believe Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Lacey Dreyar - 8  
> Jean-Luc Justine - 8

Lacey ran through the streets, feet pounding against the pavement in a staccato rhythm to the rough shod cadence of her heart. An abrupt pivot taxed the muscles of her thighs, but the strain was awarded the muffled sound of swearing behind her. Her pursuer lost precious seconds in backtracking, unable to emulate her movements to follow into the alleyway.

The nine year old didn't pause, the few moments she'd pulled ahead going to good use. Using a technique her father taught her, she kicked a trash can over as she passed it to further frustrate her follower. Another, much larger can she climbed up the side and onto a low wall behind it.

Taking off along the narrow ledge, Lacey didn't allow any thoughts of falling to enter her mind. With the extensive training Laxus had already put her through, her sense of balance was far superior to most adults let alone that of her peers. Aside from which, if she did hesitate she would lose the forward momentum that was keeping her upright.

Following it around a corner, the wall met with a series of others as she entered the back alleys of the residential district. Choosing a new wall to run along, Lacey raced towards her destination past the townhomes of Magnolia's inner city. Loke had once called this the cat-path when she'd pointed it out to him, but it was just as suited for a child with the thinness of the ledges and tight squeezes between buildings.

Finally, Lacey could no longer hear the footfalls of her pursuer. Jumping down from the cat-path, her legs almost buckled from exhaustion. She leaned over, hands on her knees, and panted. Once she caught her breath, she was off again.

It wasn't long before she found herself in Magnolia's park.

She immediately headed for the gargantuan Rainbow Sakura Tree, intent on clamoring up it to the highest branch she could. The tree, although a silent companion, had always been a great source of comfort for Lacey. With the tree, she always felt safe.

As she rounded the trunk to her favorite footholds, she froze upon seeing her former pursuer waiting for her.

But of course. Jean-Luc had been following her around his entire life. It was almost expected for him to have been able to deduce exactly where she was headed. He must have abandoned the cat-path earlier than she'd realized in order to circle around and beat her to her destination.

Lacey clenched her fists. "Go away, Jean!" she yelled at the exhausted greenette. He had clearly sprinted the entire way and although in very good shape for a nine year old, he hadn't undergone the same level of conditioning as his best friend.

"No!" Jean-Luc gasped out. "I want to talk to you!"

"Why?!" Lacey demanded. "So you can tell me I'm ugly, too?!" Tears of frustration and heartache gathered at her eyes and she struggled to keep them at bay.

The young boy stood straight. "Of course not!" It came out as a growl, for his patience was at an end along with his endurance. "Those people are idiots!"

Lacey shook her head vehemently. "They can't all be idiots, Jean!"

"Yes! They are!" he asserted. "They're stupid and blind!"

"No, they're right!" Lacey insisted, the water she'd been trying to hold back now flowing down her face. Snot trailed from her nose as her sobbing increased in strength. "I'm ugly! I don't look like how a girl should! I'm too strong and too muscle-y and too rough and… "

"You aren't!" Jean-Luc shouted back. "They don't know anything about you at all!"

His words did nothing to comfort the blonde. She raised her hands to her face to hide it while she cried in shame and pain.

Seeing her hurting destroyed Jean-Luc's own self-control. Tears of his own sprang to his eyes and he sniffed. "You're pretty! Your parents tell you that all the time! My parents tell you that all the time!  _I_  tell you all the time! You're pretty!"

"I-I-I d-d-d-don't b-b-b-b-bel-l-lieve you!" she wailed.

"Why?!" he asked, now crying in earnest along with her. "Why do you listen to what some random stranger thinks? Why don't you believe the people who love you? Why don't you believe your parents? Why don't you believe mine?" He hiccupped and sobbed. "Why don't you believe  _me_?"

Lacey had no answer for him, and just continued to cry.

Jean-Luc didn't know what else he could say or do to comfort his friend. So he, too, just stood there with tears and snot flowing down his face in equal measure. He made ineffectual attempts to stem the tide and wipe away the fluids with the sleeves of his coat.

After a couple of minutes, Lacey lifted her head from her hands. "I-I…" She swallowed thickly around the lump in her throat. "I don't know why…" Lacey admitted. Then she went on to add, "But I'll… try. Okay? I'll try!" She hated making Jean-Luc cry. She hadn't meant to.

Reaching out to hold her hand, Jean-Luc nodded. "Thank you." Having finally cried himself out, he succeeded in clearing his face with his free sleeve. He gently tugged her away from the tree. "Let's go home."

She nodded and wiped her face as well.

After they had gone some distance from the park, Jean-Luc suddenly said, "What do those old ladies at the market know anyway? They're always squinting at things; I bet they can't even see properly. I mean, they still think I'm a girl!"

Lacey giggled, her heart starting to lighten a bit.

And although it was definitely different, and it felt a bit odd, it was good to follow Jean-Luc for once instead of the other way around.


	6. Garnet Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Lacey Dreyar - 19  
> Simon Scarlet-Fernandes - 18  
> Ruby Scarlet-Fernandes - 17  
> Garnet Scarlet-Fernandes - 16  
> Sapphire Scarlet-Fernandes - 10  
> Lilo Strauss - 15  
> Ignis Dragneel - 14

Garnet Scarlet-Fernandes often felt cast in her older siblings' very imposing shadows.

Ruby Scarlet-Fernandes was all business. A complete tomboy, she never wanted the same things as her younger sister did – not out of life itself, or in something as simple as what to do for the day. If it could not be chopped up, headbutted, run down, or smacked into submission, Ruby had little interest in it. Already an accomplished swordswoman, the seventeen year old spent all of her free time training. Her magical abilities were approaching those of their mother when she was the same age. In her mind, this was completely to be expected however, as the inheritor of their mother's Requip magic. The eldest Scarlet-Fernandes sister was on a fast track to being recommended for an S-Class promotional trial, too.

Simon Scarlet-Fernandes, older than Ruby by a year, was a different sort of giant to Garnet. If Ruby was strength, he was kindness. As the first-born child of a former criminal, he'd had to learn to grow up fast in the guild but most especially outside of it. Very few people had been on his side. It didn't matter that the Magic Council Chairman Doranbolt had pardoned Jellal and that Simon couldn't help the fact that he greatly resembled his father. But Simon kept his little sisters guarded and protected against everything that could hurt them – even peoples' words. Seldom losing his temper, and a gifted elocutionist, he could bring just about anyone around to his way of thinking. Already an S-Class mage, the Heavenly Body magic he'd inherited from their father was nothing to sneer at either. None could contest his loyalty to Fairy Tail and his family.

Both Ruby and Simon were much beloved by the guild for their sheer capability in all things life threw their way.

Garnet felt very small in comparison. For no matter how she looked at herself, she always came up lacking.

She did possess a modicum of Erza's Requip magic – but she could only change her outfit and even then it wasn't anywhere near Ruby's level. With absolutely no talent at all for Heavenly Body magic, she couldn't begin to measure up to Simon in that regard. Magically speaking, she was little better than Sapphire, who was only ten. Garnet was sixteen already! How could her magical container be so much smaller than everyone else in her family? It wasn't as if she put no effort into expanding it – she did! It didn't make sense to her.

Then there were her physical capabilities. Garnet had a little more confidence in those, training and pushing herself just as hard as Ruby. But… in the end it just wasn't enough, it felt like. Ruby was an amazing swordswoman, and Simon, too, had been taught the skills, but again… Garnet just didn't seem able to ever catch up.

Whenever she went on missions with Simon and Ruby, she was a burden. Plain and simple as that. She would either get left behind as they fought the stronger opponents while she took care of the weaker ones, or she would end up needing to be rescued.

Even in terms of personality, there was just something… so very different between her and her older siblings.

Simon and Ruby alike did not possess the same sweet tooth as their mother. Garnet did. Fashion was a foreign concept to them. To Erza and Garnet, playing dress-up was something they never tired of. Although Simon did have a girlfriend, Ruby just. Did. Not. Care. About. Boys. Unless they needed to be beaten into the ground. On the other hand, Garnet was a budding romantic at heart, and a true believer in true love.

All this did bring Garnet closer to her mother, which helped to ease the loneliness she often felt. But Erza had strength to back up her girly side. Garnet believed that being a girly-girl was only okay so long as you could kick ass and take names, too.

Even Garnet's hair refused to conform. It wasn't a deep, unending blue like her father and Sapphire's. It wasn't a dark, bloody scarlet like her mother and Ruby's. Hell, it wasn't even the sunset purple of Simon's hair! It was an off shade of red, like the hue had given up somewhere between crimson and amethyst, without even the dignity or distinction of being called maroon.

It was in terms of aspirations and life philosophy, though, where Garnet felt she truly failed to live up to everyone's expectations of her.

Ruby loved to test her mettle, and had dreams of surpassing Erza one day. The title of Wizard Saint was her ultimate goal, however.

Simon believed in protecting everyone precious to him, and his dreams consisted of making it to the Magic Council. There he would acquire the seat Jellal had once disgraced, and prove that he could rise above the sins of the past.

Even little, ten year old Sapphire dreamt of… horses, mostly. And armor. She wanted to become a mounted knight when she grew up. Sapphire was adamant that all she really needed was a steed to make her life complete.

Garnet had no doubt that her siblings would make all they wanted a reality.

But she did not share in their convictions.

The third child of Erza and Jellal Scarlet-Fernandes had absolutely no idea what she wanted from life.

She didn't much care for fighting. Protecting others was out the question when she wasn't even strong enough to protect herself. And horses kind of scared her. Just being a guild mage… didn't feel satisfying enough.

When she voiced her concerns to her mother, all Erza could advise was for Garnet to follow her heart.

What the hell did that even mean?

The only thing that seemed to fill Garnet with unadulterated joy, and happiness beyond compare, that she could even conceive of applying the word 'passion' to, was something she was deeply ashamed of.

Garnet Scarlet-Fernandes…

Loved clothes above all else.

The feel of fabric, magical and mundane, against her skin. How it could be stiff and unyielding, or flow like water. Patterns and colours to capture the imagination. Myriad materials adding completely different feels and looks to the same design. Threads, tiny and insignificant and weak on their own, woven tightly together formed something strong. Like Fairy Tail itself.

Even armor, Garnet could love. Not just for how it formed the core of her own magic, but for how each piece had a specific purpose. Chainmail Garnet especially loved. Like threads, the miniscule interlocking links of solid metal together did what they could not alone – they moved like actual cloth, fluid and beautiful.

Not even Lilo Strauss, her longtime shopping buddy, nor Erza quite shared Garnet's obsessive love of textiles.

But when Lacey Dreyar approached Garnet at the bar, she was surprised.

"Garnet," the blonde mage greeted, sitting on the stool beside her.

"Um… Hello, Lacey." The girl peered up at her guild mate, perplexed as to why she was being spoken to by guild royalty. They shared a mutual friend in Lilo, and Lacey often sparred with Ruby and Simon, but they had nothing in common otherwise. Well, their mothers were friends too, but that was about it.

"I was wondering if I could ask you a favor."

Oh. Of course. Garnet deflated. Lacey wouldn't give her the time of day if she didn't need anything. She was strong and smart and talented, after all. Nothing like Garnet.

"Actually," Lacey continued, a sheepish look crossing her face, "it's not for me. And you're absolutely perfect for the job."

Blushing a little, Garnet nodded shyly. "Okay. What… what can I help with?"

An infectious grin greeted Garnet's words, further flustering the girl. "You have the best fashion sense of anyone I know. And, well…"

Garnet critically eyed the blonde's current outfit. An un-tucked, simple, white collared blouse that was open a couple of buttons down with dark green cargo pants and sensible, sturdy boots. She couldn't immediately identify the materials for any part of the ensemble without touching them, though, and thought that might be rude. However, the cut suited Lacey very well. "I don't understand. You look great as you are."

In fascination, the younger mage watched as a matching red stain appeared on Lacey's cheeks. "Thanks, but my mother is the one responsible for my clothing choices." The blush darkened. "Wow, that's embarrassing to admit out loud. I'm nineteen, and my mother still dictates what I wear…"

Giggles escaped Garnet's mouth before she could stop them. She slapped a hand over her mouth when she realized that she'd just laughed at LACEY DREYAR.

To her surprise, Lacey laughed in return and didn't seem in the least offended. "I know, I know. But I'm fashion illiterate for the most part." The smile then fell from her face. "Which is why I need your help. It's for Lilo, actually."

Garnet stopped smiling as well. "For Lilo?"

Lacey nodded. "She's going through a rough spot right now, what with her new growth spurt. I though a new look might help her be more comfortable, but I haven't a clue as to what might look good on her. Can you come with us to shop, and give us your expert advice?"

Her heart swelling, Garnet agreed vigorously. "Anything for Lilo! I would love to help her!"

The smile returned to Lacey's face, full of fondness. "I feel the same way. Thanks."

"No problem!" If her love of clothes could help her friend…

"Um…" a voice behind them softly spoke up. "Can… can I come, too? I need… some more clothes as well. And I want to help, too."

The pair turned around and gazed at the girl asking permission to accompany them.

Garnet hadn't been aware that Ignis cared about things like this. The bluenette fire mage seemed more into the whole tomboy thing, too. Then again, Ignis also had the rather unfortunate habit of accidently setting fire to things. Like her clothes. The fourteen year old hadn't quite grasped how to fully control her magic just yet.

"We would love to have you," Lacey told her.

The way Ignis lit up at those words, there was no possible way Garnet could refuse the normally hyperactive girl. "It's fine with me, too," she said.

Ignis grinned in happiness at them, the trademark expression identical to her father's. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

It was looking to be an interesting shopping trip already!

And Garnet was greatly looking forward to the opportunity to prove herself and her hobbies worthy. Even if only to herself.


	7. Tiny Terrors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> (For Reference) Lacey Dreyar - 12  
> Lorn Alors - 11  
> Kitty Eucliffe - 11

"Minerva? Can you come into my office and shut the door, please?" Sting asked his long-time friend.

Confused, the woman did as her Guild Master asked. "What's going on, Sting?" The normally exuberant blond man seemed to be growing steadily more haggard over the past few days. Dark circles were under his eyes, and there was a tuft of hair sticking straight up that - were Sting in his usual condition - would have been gelled into submission long ago.

The Dragon Slayer gestured to the chair situated in front of his desk. "Take a seat."

Wondering if she'd done something wrong, the woman did so. "Now are you going to tell me what this is about?"

Sting was silent for a minute, the sound in the room being the steady tap of his finger against the wood of his desk. "I was thinking that it might be good for the youngsters in the guild to see some of the other guilds out there."

Skeptical, Minerva leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. "Like a field trip?"

Relief washed over Sting's face. "Yes!" he replied, some of his usual enthusiasm returning. "A field trip. To the other guilds. Guilds not here. I'm thinking this will take a couple of days, so everyone should pack... and of course there will need to be supervision so could you please handle that?"

Minerva blinked in surprise. While it was a good idea for the children to see what the other guilds were like, especially for the ones with parents in different ones like her own son... something about this seemed suspicious to the Territory mage. "Sting. I'm all for this... but is there another reason you want the children out of the guild for a while?"

Stiffening in his seat, Sting gave her a tight smile. "Of course not! Why would you think that?"

"The sweat pouring down your skin," Minerva observed with deep amusement.

With a groan, Sting gave up and cradled his head in his hands. "I need a break, Minerva," he confessed, mumbling around his palms. Lifting his head again, he continued, "I love the children. I do. But I need a break."

The woman stared at him blankly. "Sting. Only one of them is yours."

"Makarov was right when he called the guild members his brats!" Sting bemoaned. "All of the children are mine by extension. And I need a breather from them." He held up what appeared to be a report. Or at least... at one point in its life, it had been one. Now it was covered in fluorescent, eye-searing orange paint. "Do you see this? Not just this one, either." Sting showed her another. It had the words, "Guild Master Sting Sucks," scrawled upon it in green, this time. "More than half of my reports have this on it. And that's not all. I sat on a pile of smashed carrots in my chair. MASHED CARROTS MINERVA."

Minerva decided it would be wise to  _not_  point out that  _Rogue_  was the most likely culprit behind that one.

"And don't even get me started on  _your_  hell-spawn."

Now  _that_  Minerva took offense to. "Excuse me?" she asked with deadly calm. "What exactly has Lorn done to you? He's the quietest child in the guild." Much to Max's horror, Lorn Alors was the most unsociable creature either of his parents had ever seen in their lives. Most adults found his silent, intense stares to be more than a little bit creepy - with the notable exceptions of his parents, Rogue, and Dobengal. Although his best friend, Kitty Eucliffe, didn't seem to mind so much, either. She was outgoing enough for the both of them. The young girl was one of the very few that recognized Lorn's concentrated gaze for what it was - rather innocent people-watching. It was the dark haired, bespectacled Glass Make mage's favorite pastime.

"That is exactly the problem!" Sting started to gesticulate wildly, knocking paperwork off his desk in the wide, sweeping movements. "Dobengal and Rogue have been teaching that boy horrible, horrible things!"

A delicate eyebrow raised, Minerva regarded her Guild Master like he was a lunatic. Which he often was. "Like what?"

"Rogue taught him how to go up behind... people... and just stand there silently. Until you turn around and BAM! It's terrifying."

Minerva had a feeling that Rogue had instructed Lorn to play this prank on Sting alone.

"Dobengal... that damn wannabe-ninja has been teaching him everything he knows, I swear. It's like Lorn is his disciple or something!"

He was, actually. Dobengal had even asked Minerva and Max for permission to teach their reticent child some of the tricks of his trade. It was rather hilarious overseeing some of the lessons. Like the day Dobengal attempted to instruct Lorn in how to breathe underwater through a hollow reed. Lorn had then proceeded to cover the reed hole with a piece of plastic from his lunch during Dobengal's demonstration. Granted, Minerva may have had a hand in how that turned out.

"So what did my son  _do_ , precisely?" Minerva drawled.

"He hid in the corner and jumped on me when I walked by," Sting informed her.

The Territory mage stared at her Guild Master. "That's it?" she finally asked.

Sting pointed up at the ceiling. "That corner," he deadpanned.

Turning to see where Sting was indicating, Minerva's eyes widened. "Between the wall... and the ceiling," she clarified.

He nodded. "Lorn - I have no idea how - suspended himself from the ceiling, and  _waited_  for someone to walk by. When I did, he dropped down on top of me like a ninety-pound spider. A ninety-pound,  _utterly silent_  spider." Sting looked about ready to start crying. "No warning. No war-cry. No nothing at all. I screamed like Blondie does."

So that was the source behind that high pitched screech the other day.

Minerva burst out into laughter, holding her sides and shaking in her chair. "Wait until I tell Max!" she howled, mirth making her eyes dance brightly.

"It's not funny!" Sting insisted. "He taught  _Kitty_  to do it, too! Now  _she's_  teaching the others! And for some reason, their sole target is  _me!_ " He stomped his foot on the ground behind his desk. "Stop laughing, damn it!"

"I can't!" Tears leaked from Minerva's eyes. "Oh, what I wouldn't give to have seen the look on your face! I'm sorry I missed it!"

With a groan, Sting leaned back in his chair and passed a hand over his face. "Whatever. Can you just take the kids to Fairy Tail for a day? I need a break to get some freaking work done."

"No problem!" Minerva agreed, still giggling. "This is going to be fun. I wonder if I can convince them to do it to the Fairies, too... I need to see this in action."

A sly grin spread across Sting's face. "That's what I hoped you'd say."


	8. Insecurities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Lacey Dreyar - 19  
> Jean-Luc Justine - 19  
> Titanus Strauss - 18  
> Lilo Strauss - 16  
> Oberon Strauss - 16  
> Fae Strauss - 6  
> Sapphire Strauss - 10  
> Bissan Strauss - 9  
> Lissan Strauss - 8

Bickslow was having a rare slow day, where his wife was off on a job with her siblings and he himself was not out and about with his own team. It had been a productive day for him, all told. He'd cleaned, prepped for dinner, and was now sitting at the table in the dining room eyeing the bills with no small amount of distaste. Sitting upon the table were his babies, the small totems jabbering quietly to each other. Relief flooded him as he heard the front door open, the lilting sound of his daughter's voice drifting through the house. "I'm home!"

His chair scraped the ground as Bickslow rose to meet Lilo at the room's entrance. "Lilo! Welcome home, sweetie!" he greeted.

"Lilo! Home! Sweetie! Welcome! Welcome!" his babies echoed, floating about his head as was their habit.

Half-melted snow fell from the strands of her hair as Lilo wiped it away, and knocked the clods of fluffy, frozen water off of her boots. The bluenette summoned a weak smile for the entourage, her face weary and drawn. "Hello Pappa, Peppe, Pippi, Poppo and Puppu. Hi, Dad." She removed her dripping overcoat and hung it on its peg. "The boys are off playing with Fae and Sapphire, I think. Askua and Wendy are watching them. In case you were wondering." Her brothers, Bissan and Lissan, turned into absolute hellions as soon as the first flakes of snow fell from the sky. As far as Lilo was concerned, if the two women wanted the task of watching them and making sure they didn't accidentally cause mass chaos and destruction then they were welcome to it.

Wrapping his gargantuan arms around her, unheedful of her rather damp and bedraggled state, Bickslow kissed her forehead. "Thanks for letting me know. So... how was school?" he asked, letting her go after a few moments. "Learn anything interesting?"

Lilo shrugged, her expression the complete opposite of enthusiastic. "Trade War recap stuff mostly. Pretty boring. Not even Totomaru-sensei can make that interesting. Especially not with all the snow distracting everyone."

"Sounds about right," Bickslow agreed. He frowned, glancing around. "Where are your babies?"

"My pocket." Reaching into the pocket of her pants, Lilo drew out two small wooden figurines. Shaped roughly like humans, the carver had painstakingly crafted them with all of the anatomically correct joints. Lilo placed them on the table, where they began to walk around. "They're in these today. I was practicing my movement control."

Letting out a low whistle, Bickslow watched their progress across the table. "You're  _way_  better at that than I've ever been," he praised, impressed with his daughter's skill with Seith magic. "I could never make the joints work properly..."

Violently shaking her head, Lilo confessed, "I still can't make them fly, Dad." Feeling no small amount of shame, she continued, "And I can't even give them a voice!" Tears of frustration gathered in her eyes, causing the sky-blue irises to shimmer. Caught upon her eyelashes, they hung, poised to fall. Then she blinked and they did, leaving salty tracks along her cheeks.

A soft chorus of, "Lilo, Lilo, Lilo," started up from Bickslow's wandering souls. They hovered around her, unable to do aught else to console her.

Befuddled at the swift turn the conversation had taken, Bickslow was at a bit of a loss as to how Lilo could think that way. "Sweetie," he said, gently guiding her to a chair and sitting her down. Then he took up the seat beside her. "There's nothing wrong with your magic, I swear it. The souls feed on our magic, it's true... and we do control them to a certain degree. But for the most part, my babies are autonomous. They fly because they  _want_  to fly, and my magic container is developed enough to allow it. Same thing with their speech. You're still pretty young! You will get there eventually, I promise." He reached out and ruffled her hair fondly. "Right now, control is an excellent part of your magic to focus on. I mean it when I say that your ability to move them like that is phenomenal - I can only do it if I concentrate  _really_  hard."

Light touches upon her arm prompted Lilo to glance at it, only to find that her little dolls were patting her with their tiny wooden hands.

"You see?" Bickslow let out a hearty laugh. "They don't mind."

* * *

A little while later, Lilo returned from the bathroom, fluffing her hair with a towel. "Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah, Lilo?" He glanced up from the bills (which were still not getting done). "What's up?"

Lilo hesitated, and then sat down at the table, leaving the towel draped across her shoulders. "Um... never mind. It's nothing."

"Somehow, I doubt that. Tell me what's on your mind, kiddo."

"Well..." The teenager refused to meet her father's eyes. "Some of the other kids found out that I have Mom's last name, and not yours. Totomaru-sensei stopped them from teasing me, but..."

 _'Ah ha,'_  Bickslow realized.  _'This must have been why the other conversation escalated so damn quickly.'_  Insecurities had already been plaguing his self-conscious daughter. When something else that bothered her had come up, it had been too much and she'd poured all her frustration into it instead of the original source. "It's not that important whose surname you have, Lilo. Those little weasels should focus more on their schoolwork."

"But I want to know, Dad! I couldn't even stick up for you and and Mom, because you've never told me!" she plead. "Why do I have Mom's last name?"

"...You really want to know that badly, huh."

"Yeah."

He gave her a shrug. "...Okay, then."

"J-just like that?" Lilo had not expected it to be this easy to pry the information from her father.

"Of course!" Bickslow laughed, pressing his large hand down on his daughter's head. Ruffling her hair, he asked, "Why? Did you think I wouldn't tell you?"

"No!" Lilo was quick to denounce that notion, feeling a twinge of guilt.

"You know that you can ask me about anything, right?" Bickslow told her. "I'm happy to answer your questions about everything." He paused for a second, and then added as an afterthought, "Within reason. For stuff that your mother won't try to scratch my eyes out for."

"Thanks, but right now I just want to know about my last name, Dad," she reassured him.

"Oh, good." Relief shone in his face. "I get to keep my eyes."

Lilo giggled at her father.

It hadn't been a joke.

"So?" his daughter wondered. "Tell me the story!"

He held up a hand. "Hold on, I'm thinking about how best to explain this."

"I'm going to grab a snack real quick," Lilo announced, taking advantage of the opportunity. She went into the kitchen, but before she could prepare or locate some of her favorite comestibles, there was a knock on the door. She turned around and walked back through the living room to the entrance-way, arriving just in time for the people on the other side to decide that the inhabitants were taking too long to answer.

"We're letting ourselves in!" a bespectacled woman announced, already fully in the entryway and hanging up her wet coat. "So nice of you to ignore us like that Doll Boy, after all that we've been through! Oh, Lilo!" Evergreen greeted the blue-haired teenager, her eyes lighting up in delight upon spotting her. "How is my favorite niece today?"

Lilo accepted the brunette's hug with gusto. "I'm your only niece, Auntie," she reminded her.

"Hopefully not forever! I have high hopes for Valentines Day this year!" Bickslow called from the dining room.

"Ew, Dad! Shut up!" Lilo shouted back, stepping out of Evergreen's embrace. Then the telltale clinking of porcelain reached her ears. This was a sound she was all too familiar with, often being the source of said noise herself. "Dad... are you getting into the cookies?"

Silence rang out across the house.

"...No?" Bickslow finally responded, the clinking resuming. Swearing ensued, as he attempted to replace the cookie jar's lid surreptitiously and failed miserably.

"You better be planning on sharing those!" Evergreen informed her teammate, stomping through the house.

A soft laugh directed Lilo's attention to the others standing in the foyer. "Oh, hello Uncle Freed. Master Laxus."

"Good afternoon, Lilo," Freed returned, already divested of his coat and smiling kindly up at his niece. After her growth spurt had bottomed out, Lilo had suddenly found herself taller than most of the adults in the guild - Freed included.

Laxus rolled his eyes at the teenager's greeting, also putting his coat away. "I've told you before, Lilo: you're practically related to me. Just Laxus will suffice."

"So he says," a smooth voice arose, its owner obscured behind the Guild Master's sheer bulk. "But in reality, he just wants you to call him Uncle."

With a glance over his shoulder, the Lightning Dragon Slayer muttered, "Whose side are you on?"

The original speaker never received the chance to respond, as Lilo darted between Freed and Laxus. With a cry of joy, she leapt upon her friend. "Lacey!" The force of her jump sent them both tumbling out the door. Sprawled out on the powdery ground, the pair giggled at the enthusiastic "I missed you!"

Laughing, the blonde sat up, Lilo still clinging wholeheartedly to her. "I saw you this morning at the guild, Lilo! You act as if we've been apart for weeks!"

Groans escaped Lilo as she released her friend from her death grip. "It was just a really long day at school, so it  _feels_  like forever." Standing up, she helped Lacey to her feet once more. Turning back to the open door, Lilo practically jumped out of her skin upon seeing Jean-Luc standing there. "When did you get there?!" she demanded.

"I've been here the whole time," Jean stated mildly. "Don't I get a hello, too?"

"Yeah, yeah," Lilo waved him off. "Hi."

"...I feel like there's a great difference between how you greet me, and how you greet Lacey."

"Reminds me of someone..." Laxus muttered.

Bickslow walked over and leaned on the door frame, checking to see if his daughter was alright after her launch-tackle into Lacey. "Same, here. Freed, how the hell did my daughter inherit  _your_  obsessiveness? Is there something I should know?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

A delicately-boned hand reached up and grasped Bickslow's ear. "You don't get to escape me that easily. Now help me finish setting up the table."

"Yeowch!" Bickslow protested as Evergreen dragged him away, half-bent over due to the height difference. "I get it! I get it! I can walk on my own!"

"I hope we didn't interrupt anything," Freed said, closing the door once everyone was inside.

Lilo shrugged. "Not much. Dad was just going to tell me why I have Strauss for a last name."

Sitting down at the table, Jean-Luc input, "I would assume that he took Aunt Lisanna's last name when they got married? Some families have matrilineal surnames." He paused, considering it. "Although I suppose if that were truly the case, my surname would also be Strauss, instead of Justine."

"Nah, you've got it pretty much right, Jean!" Bickslow chuckled. Finally free of Evergreen's pernicious fingers, he set down a rather large plate of cookies on the table in front of the teenagers. "Not much to tell, really. I took Lis' last name when we got married. That's why our surname is Strauss."

"But why?" Lilo questioned, her curiosity piqued.

"Come to think of it," Laxus added, "what  _is_  your original last name? For all the years we've been a team, I don't recall ever hearing it once."

"Likewise," Freed remarked, and Evergreen nodded.

"And there is a reason for that," Bickslow informed them firmly. "Now..." He pushed the cookie plate a little closer to the group. "Eat your damn snacks."


	9. Grief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No character ages apply.

The Scarlet-Fernandes household was generally a pretty cheerful one, despite the vast differences in personality amongst its members. Jellal's pariah status and Erza's fame could not penetrate the walls of the six bedroom house. Within the building they were just Mom and Dad and no one else - though each of their children had different ways of calling them.

Anything and everything could be discussed between the adults and their children. No secrets to Jellal and Erza's history were kept from them. Simon, Ruby, Garnet, and even Sapphire to a minor extent, were aware of the events that had transpired between the couple. Both good... and horrifying. The subject was always open for discussion should one of the children wish to know more.

Under that roof, however, there was one topic, if it were mentioned in passing, that would cause the conversation to come to a lull. Unseen weight, a breathless tension, would settle between Erza and Jellal that their son and daughters knew meant they should leave the cause be. Eventually, the prior discussion would resume - as if the interruption never occurred.

It was was an unsaid rule, that the topic was never to be spoken of.

The sixth bedroom, on the second floor that sat unused. Its door was always locked. Everyone knew what inhabited that room and let its ghost be. Once a year, it was opened up to air out, to be cleaned. On that day, the curious children could peer inside the dusty room, and observe what lay within. It was nothing special, just an empty crib. A mobile of stars and swords hung above the abandoned crib. Children's toys in a bin to the side, a small bookshelf beside it. Opposite in the room was a small dresser. Painted in faded green, it was a peaceful space.

One other day of the year was special, too. For this, the Dreyar family always joined them. The group would take the day off from whatever else they had going on in their lives, and board the train at an early hour; though the kids never uttered a word of complaint about the time. Lucy and Erza were inseparable on the ride, while Laxus and Jellal sat somewhat apart from their wives with their young ones. The mood was sometimes cheerful, and other years it was somber.

When they arrived at their station, the group would then embark on a long walk up a winding hill.

Their destination lay at the top. Headstones sprawled out in every direction, amongst which the children played hide and seek and other games while their parents gathered around one marker in particular.

Lucy understood best Erza's feelings, gazing upon the epitaph. Lucy shared in her grief, but for Lucy there existed no stone upon which to lay her own sorrow. No names to carve, nothing to carve it upon.

But Erza's grief read:

_Robyn._


	10. Best Birthday Ever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Lacey Dreyar - 7  
> Jean-Luc Justine - 7

Jean-Luc sat down upon the hard ground beside his best friend. His malachite green hair was falling from its normally tight, high ponytail. The strands were plastered to his face and neck, sticky with perspiration. Slumping in exhaustion, he croaked out, "I can't believe your father is giving us training on  _today_ , of all days. Don't we get a break every once in a while?"

Sweat rolling down her face as well, Lacey shook her head. Her blonde hair likewise clung to her, and her breaths came in heavy gasps. "Dad… said…" she panted. "That warriors… have to… train… every day. Without… exception." She groaned, every muscle in her body protesting existence itself.

"That's right," the gruff voice of Laxus Dreyar came from somewhere behind them. The pair leaned backwards to regard the man upside down. He snorted at the twinned glassy looks in their eyes. "But since it's your birthdays today… I think that'll suffice. Do your cool-down walks and go inside – Lucy will have some food ready for one of you, and a bath drawn for the other. Fight it out amongst yourselves for which of one you gets which first." He paused, and then his face split into a fearsome grin. "Oh, and happy birthday, kiddos."

"Thanks, Dad," Lacey said, air finally filling her lungs as it was meant to.

"Thanks, Master Laxus," Jean-Luc also said.

Laxus reached down and ruffled their clumped hair fondly to their exasperation. Then he grimaced and withdrew his hands. "Gross…" he muttered, wiping his hands furiously against his pants to rid them of sweat, at which they giggled. "Yeah, yeah… my own damn fault," admitted Laxus. "Now get up and get moving! I have presents for the both of you inside, once you're fed and clean."

The two children stood as quickly as they could, endeavoring not to fall over in the process. Successful though their efforts were, it was a struggle to not wobble as their legs protested the movement.

"That's more like it!" Laxus cajoled. "I want at least ten laps around the field, and then you're done. See you in a bit." The gigantic blond man waved over his shoulder as he departed for the house.

Obediently, Lacey and Jean-Luc began a weary trot to the worn path that surrounded the training area behind Lacey's house.

"Thanks for… training with me today," Lacey huffed as they completed the first lap and slowed to a walk.

Jean shot her a grin. "It's fine!" he stated. "You were… already training when I… got here, remember? What kind of… friend would I be… if I let you do it… all by yourself?"

Lacey gave him a halfhearted shrug, though her heart warmed in happiness. "Thanks, anyway." She could feel her pulse steadily beginning to slow, and her breathing evened out. They had already completed half of their laps. "Why do I always get the short end of the stick?" she wondered aloud.

"Father called it… reverse favoritism," Jean informed her. "…I think."

Laughing at her best friend's statement, Lacey asked, "So how is training going with  _your_  father? You've seen what my training is like!"

The greenette didn't answer immediately. Lacey didn't push him – Jean-Luc liked to think carefully before he responded to questions and there was no use hurrying him along. If she tried, he'd stubbornly refuse to divulge anything that was on his mind at all. After a half lap spent in silent contemplation, Jean said, "Training with Father is more in my head, and with writing. He's fond of logic puzzles. Mother, on the other hand…" he trailed off with a shudder.

Wincing, Lacey agreed, "Yeah, that sounds scary."

"You have no idea."

* * *

When their laps were completed at last, Jean-Luc begged for the first bath. Lacey was more interested in the delicious scents wafting from the kitchen to possibly focus on getting clean, so the situation worked out for the both of them.

Only when both were fed and bathed to Lucy's satisfaction were the children allowed to tear into their packages. There was a total of two for each of the children, including a matched set. Lacey and Jean-Luc chose those first to open, and they gasped in delight upon seeing ribbons within the small boxes.

Lucy giggled as the pair insisted – in unison, no less – that their hair be immediately secured by the colourful strips of cloth. Laxus assisted with Jean-Luc and his yellow ribbon, while Lucy helped her daughter with her green one.

Lacey and Jean-Luc beamed at each other once their hair was up in matching ponytails.

Gently, Laxus prodded Jean's final gift towards him. "This one is next, squirt."

"He picked it out himself," Lucy informed the small gathering with a wry smile. "Spent over four hours agonizing over it at the store."

"Hey!" Laxus sputtered.

Jean-Luc nodded up at the older man. "Thank you, Master Laxus."

Grumbling a little under his breath, Laxus said, "You're welcome. Hope you like it."

Carefully unfolding the wrapping paper, a slow smile spread across Jean-Luc's face as the gift was unveiled. It was a beautiful new calligraphy brush. "Thank you!" He'd been needing a new one with which to practice his runes, and he was excited to practice with this one.

"Your turn, Lacey!" the young girl's mother exclaimed. "This one is from me!"

Lacey was far less reverent with unwrapping this gift than Jean had with his. A small wooden box was revealed once the offending paper was removed. Frowning, and turning it over in her hands, Lacey spotted hinges on one side. A sparkle entered her gray-blue eyes as she located the clasp and popped it open.

Her jaw dropped, as an object was nestled within the box's velvet lining.

"Do you like it?" Lucy asked hesitantly.

A screech of pure joy erupted from her daughter's mouth in response.

Laxus winced at the decibel. "I think that's a yes."

Jean-Luc peered over Lacey's shoulder at the contents of the box. "Is… is that a Celestial key?" he inquired, aquamarine eyes widening.

Unable to coherently respond in her excitement, Lacey just furiously nodded her head in an affirmative.

"Which one is it?"

"Canis Minor!" Lacey squeaked. "The little dog!" She abruptly stood up. "Can I… can I summon him now?!"

Smirking at his daughter's enthusiasm, Laxus remarked, "Now, who do you remind me of…? I wonder…"

"Oh, hush," Lucy chided. "Of course you can summon him now!" she told her daughter. "I think we'd all like to see your new friend!"

Shifting in place, Jean-Luc asked, "Is it alright for me to be here for this? I mean… this is a pretty important part of Celestial magic, right?"

Lucy smiled kindly at the boy. "You're right that it's a privilege to witness a contract ceremony between a Celestial mage and their spirit. It's a deeply personal affair. Therefore, it is up to Lacey to decide."

"Of course I want you here!" Lacey gushed. "Why wouldn't I want you here? You've gotta meet  _our_ new friend!"

"Okay!"

"Well said," Laxus mumbled under his breath.

"Alright, then," Lucy instructed. "Now, repeat the summoning incantation just like we practiced."

Lacey nodded. She held out the key, and shut her eyes. Funneling magic into the key, she recited, "I am the person who connects the road to the world of the Celestial Spirits. Thou shalt answer my call and pass through the gate."

A soft, golden light gathered at the end of the key, as Jean-Luc stared in fascination.

Opening her eyes, Lacey swung her arm in an arc, bringing it forward and down. Turning the key like she would in a physical lock, she shouted, "Open, Gate of Canis Minor! Nicola!"

Several small golden orbs shot out of the key, weaving through the air before condensing into a single bubble of light. Then, the bubble burst and a small, shaking creature stepped forth from it. It lifted a yellow paw towards Lacey, trembling all the while. "Pa paan!"

Lacey scrambled to find a pen and notepad. Her mother handed her the already prepared items to her. "Thanks!" Lacey whispered, and then turned to the small spirit. "Hi! I'm Lacey, your new friend!"

"Pa pa paan!" it replied cheerfully.

"Can… can we discuss our contract?"

It nodded. "Paan!"

"Are you free on Mondays?" It nodded. "Tuesdays?" Waving a paw, it shook its head, and then nodded. "Okay, so on Tuesday evening?" It nodded. "But not mornings?" It nodded again.

Jean-Luc had no idea how she was able to communicate so effectively with the tiny spirit, but he chalked it up to Lacey being a Celestial mage like her mother.

Once the details were sorted out, Lacey placed the notepad to the side. "Thank you so much!" she told it. "Would it be alright if I gave you a name?"

"Paan!" it declared, it what appeared to be an affirmative.

"Um… how about… Tesla!" Lacey decided. "Do you like it?"

Tesla responded by moving its limbs in what vaguely resembled a dance of some sort. "Paan!"

Lacey grinned at the spirit. "It's nice to meet you, Tesla! This is my mother, Lucy. And my father, Laxus." The two blond adults greeted the spirit warmly, shaking its paw when it held it out to them. "And this…" Lacey turned her brilliant smile – its glory fully inherited from her mother – towards Jean-Luc. "This is my best friend, Jean-Luc Justine!"

Jean couldn't keep his own smile at bay, as he happily greeted Lacey's very first spirit. "Most people just call me Jean."

This was the best birthday ever, as far as the two friends – now three – were concerned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lacey is the buffest Celestial Mage in existence.


	11. Blind Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Lacey Dreyar - 18  
> Jean-Luc Justine - 18

It was a beautiful day, Lacey contemplated. Especially from such a pleasant vantage point as the one she had secured for herself, on a low-hanging branch of the great rainbow sakura tree. With the sakuras all in full bloom, the town was truly a gorgeous sight to behold. So were all of the people having flower-viewing parties in the bright sunlight of the park, or just walking beneath all of the gorgeous trees hand-in-hand… like her own parents were, she noted with a smile as she spotted them some ways off. They looked so adorable.

"Lacey?"

At the sound of her name, Lacey swung backwards on her branch, hanging upside down by her legs. Leaves and multi-colored blossoms fluttered around her, jarred loose by the sudden rough motion. "Hi, Jean," she greeted her best friend. "What's up?" She let out a little laugh at her word play, pleased with herself.

The green haired young man sighed. Normally he was more on board with Lacey's antics but unfortunately this was a serious occasion, and it required their full attention. "My mother's gotten it into her head to set me up on blind dates again. I need help getting out of it."

That sobered Lacey up immediately. Swinging her body slightly, she released her grip on the tree branch and landed on her feet, sending up a small flurry of blossoms from the impact. "How serious is she this time?" Lacey asked, wiping a few stray petals from her shirt.

This was hardly the first occasion where Mirajane had attempted to set her son up with a significant other. Her intentions on the matter could range anywhere from playful interfering fun to deadly seriousness backed by the power of her Satan Souls. That Jean was singularly uninterested in dating in general was a concept lost on his mother. No matter how many times he tried to explain it.

Her friend reached out towards her and picked a blossom out of her hair – a good portion of the twig still attached to it. "I think if you tell her that we're scheduled to go on a team job, she'll let me off the hook," Jean suggested, now tucking the flower behind Lacey's ear. "That looks much better," he said, satisfied with his work.

"So it's about a five on the serious scale, then…" Lacey muttered, thinking it over. "Can't go with a team job, though. Titanus is stuck babysitting, and Lilo has a shopping date with Garnet. So it'll just be us."

Jean winced. "That's almost as bad as actually going on the date. She'll never let us live it down."

That was also true. "We'll have to think of something else, then."

"I could always just run," Jean stated bluntly, his face a mask of profound irritation. "Book it and not look back."

With a shake of her head, Lacey reminded him, "She would hunt you down."

He sighed, and sat down with a hard thud against the tree's roots. "I really don't have many other options, here. Even if I tell her I'm not interested, she just tries harder."

"Have you tried talking to your father about it? He might be able to talk some sense into her."

Jean's hesitation was painfully obvious. "…I don't really want to rock that boat, if I can help it."

Sitting down beside him, Lacey gazed at him with concern. "Are they going through a rough patch?"

"Sort of," he admitted with a long-suffering sigh. "I think they're seeing someone about it though, and they usually get over these things pretty quickly. But I don't want to throw a Vulcan into the situation, either. Also, they're both demons. I'm not getting into the center of  _that_."

Lacey nodded sagely at that. Put that way, she understood completely.

"Besides, it's really hard to call her off when she's already made the arrangements beforehand."

Leaning her head against the bark, Lacey turned her gaze to the bits of sky she could see between the gargantuan tree's shimmering branches. They were both silent for several minutes, taking in the beauty of the season and the cool, multi-hued shade of the tree.

"You could try throwing it."

The suggestion threw Jean for a loop. He turned slightly to stare incredulously at his best friend. "I could what?"

"Throw the date. Not… not literally," Lacey swiftly amended before Jean could make the joke brewing in his eyes. "Though I guess if push comes to shove, you could do that, too."

"So I should shove or push them?" he teased her, resulting in him being given a slight shove of his own from Lacey.

"No!" The blonde rolled her eyes at her best friend. "What I mean is that you could make it such a horrible date that your mother stops sending you on them."

Jean considered it for several seconds, clearly weighing the pros and cons in his head as he absently tucked a rainbow sakura blossom behind his ear to match the one he'd bestowed upon Lacey. "No, I don't think I could do that to the other person," he finally concluded. "My mother is the one being a pain, not them. They wouldn't deserve it."

"Darn, I thought I was onto something." Then inspiration hit her. "Hey, what if you go to the person in question and explain yourself? Maybe they'll understand and call it off on their side."

This idea had more merit than the prior one, if Jean's expression were anything to go by. "That might actually work," he said. "I would need to find out who it is, though."

"Did your mother give you any hints?"

"I think so. Something about a florist, I think." Suddenly, he smirked at her, deviousness in his gaze. "Want to go play amateur sleuth with me? Like when we were kids?"

"Do I ever!"

* * *

At the end of the day, however, they were no closer to finding the mysterious date than they were at the start. "Florist" was not much to go on in a city  _named_ for a flower. Without any further information to go on, they'd had to call it a day. It had been fun, though, to check out half the floral shops in the city. They'd even bought some flowers, setting up delivery at the guild and the homes of their friends and family for the next day. It had drained their spending money, but they could always go on more jobs to make up the deficit. And it would be fun to see their friends' faces when they all received the flowers.

Conceding defeat on the topic of his blind date, Jean and Lacey walked together back to Jean's house. When they were almost there, Lacey suddenly froze in mid-step.

Failing to hear her footsteps on the cobblestones behind him, Jean paused and glanced back at her. "Is something wrong, Lacey?"

"I think I just had an epiphany," Lacey told him. "Have you considered asking my Dad for help?"

Jean stared at her as if she was crazy. "Why would I bring the guild master into my problems with my mother?"

"Because they're friends," Lacey reminded him. "And he's well aware of Mirajane's… troubles in the dating department. He tells a lot of stories about her interference in his and Mom's love life. I bet you anything that he'd be willing to help out." It had been twenty years, and he was clearly still nursing a bit of a grudge about the entire thing, so that had to count in their favor. "My mother, too! She might know how to thwart Mirajane." When he still looked unsure, she added, "It's worth a shot, if nothing else."

Her best friend nodded slowly. "Alright, let's ask him."

* * *

Laxus was more than a little bit surprised to come home and find Jean-Luc sitting at the dinner table with them when he emerged from his home office. His wife was fussing over the boy like she normally did, and he soaked up the attention. Lacey was calmly setting the table around the two.

"I wasn't aware we were having company tonight," he rumbled, moving to help Lacey. He had addressed the question to her instead of the other pair, knowing he was more likely to get an answer this way. And although he enjoyed having his best friend's son over, he was a little wary over the lack of forewarning on Lacey's part.

"We need your advice on how to get Mirajane off Jean's back in the dating department," Lacey told him, not one to beat around the bush. "Seems she's set him up on another blind date he doesn't want. So I invited him for dinner."

He let out a soft groan at that. Mirajane just never let up, did she? "Alright, I'll talk to her. Or better yet – your mother should. She's way more convincing than I am." That, and Mirajane liked Lucy more.

"Thanks, Dad." Lacey gave Jean-Luc a covert thumbs-up, which did not go unnoticed by Laxus.

Really, he could not understand Mirajane. Why bother setting the boy up when it was obvious to all involved that there was only one major person in Jean's life.

He wondered if the pair realized that they had matching flower accessories, but decided it was better to not to pursue the issue.


	12. A Love Of Glass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Lorn Alors - 5

Arm outstretched, fingers straining, and standing as high as he could on his tiptoes, Lorn could almost feel his prize in his grasp. The glass orb, sitting on its shelf, glistened in the overhead lights – tantalizing to his young eyes. If it was placed outside of his normal reach, that meant it was important to his mother and father, he reasoned. Therefore it was treasure, on par with the cookie jar and his mother's best-smelling perfume.

Suddenly, hands grasped under his armpits and he was lifted into the air.

Turning slightly, he peered at his father. Though he'd been caught red-handed doing something he probably wasn't supposed to, Lorn retained his composure with skill that a professional criminal would envy.

"Hey there," Max greeted his son, propping him against his shoulder and repositioning his arms in order to carry the heavy child with greater ease. "I know that look in your eyes. What are you up to?"

Lorn blinked and silently pointed to the object of his desire.

"Ah,  _Dark Sands_ ," Max replied fondly. "You have quite the discerning eye." The praise fell on deaf ears, as Lorn continued to stare blankly at him. "Would you like to hold it?"

Max restrained a snort at the vigorous nod he received in response. "You'll have to be gentle with it, though. It belongs to your mother. Do you think you can do that for me?"

"Yes," Lorn said so softly that Max had to strain to hear the words.

He set the boy down on the floor, and then plucked the sphere from it's resting place. "Here you go," Max told him, setting it down in the child's eager outstretched hands. "I made this a long time ago, and gave it to your mother when I first met her."

Turning the object around in his hands, Lorn's eyes were glued to the expertly crafted object. But Max had become rather skilled at reading his son's expressions, despite how non-verbal he could be. Right now, it told him that although he appeared to be solely focused by the glass orb, he was still tuned into his father's words.

Satisfied that Lorn was listening, Max continued, "She was just as enchanted by it back then as you are now. I made it using my sand magic, with Laxus's lightning mixed in to create the glass. After that, Natsu helped me with the fire to heat the glass up and turn it into a bubble. Though it was a little tricky at first figuring out how to get the sand inside it." Inspiration hit, as he looked at his son, so fascinated with it. "Would you like one of your own? You're a little too young to make it yourself, but you could watch me make it."

Pausing in his inspection of the wonderful glass orb, Lorn looked up into his father's smiling face. His eyes were wide, and shining with wonder. "…Please," he said, in his small, quiet voice.

Unbeknownst to Max, this would instill a lifelong love of glass and its creation in Lorn's young heart.


	13. The Dangers Of Babysitting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Asuka Connell - 16  
> Titanus Strauss - 6  
> Oberon Strauss - 3  
> Lacey Dreyar - 7  
> Jean-Luc Justine - 7  
> Lorn Alors - 6

Black eyes were becoming something of a problem for Asuka.

It wasn't as if she didn't like babysitting all of her guildmates' offspring – after all, all of them had taken a turn or two looking after her growing up. But some of the kiddos were just… so incredibly rowdy. It was like they had energy enough to power the sun with enough to spare to run her into the ground. Also, they were prone to getting into trouble; trouble the likes of which ordinary babysitters would not be equipped to handle. Like Jean-Luc's tendency to go full-on  _demon_  at the drop of a hat. (Though to be fair, she didn't babysit him very often, and when she did it was usually in conjunction with Lacey who proved to be a massively calming influence on the literal demon child.)

Romeo helped a lot, it was true, but he had his own jobs to go on, too. And it was really embarrassing to ask the older boy for help, when he'd been the one to babysit her the most when  _she_  was growing up. It was mortifying to ask your own babysitter for babysitting advice. Especially since he was now in his twenties.

Also, for some reason, she was oddly always available whenever someone needed her to watch over their progeny to make sure they didn't kill themselves.

Thankfully some were quiet, like Lorn. But he did have the tendency to watch her, unblinkingly, for hours on end which wore down her nerves something fierce.

She was losing count of the times she'd managed to do just that, honestly. This time it was Titanus and Oberon that were the source of her newest injury. Titanus had shimmied up a tree while she prevented Oberon from swallowing clumps of grass he'd torn out of the ground (rocks and all), culminating in Titanus falling on her and elbowing her in the face.

And now she was staring at the damage in her mirror, calculating how long until her parents came back from their latest job and if she had enough coverup to deal with it. With a heavy sigh, she resigned herself to a heavy coating of coverup for the next few days. It was easier than explaining to her folks just why she had one in the first place. They would understand, of course. But first they'd panic. A lot.

_Those little brats._

They'd been really apologetic, though. Titanus had even cried and tried to help her with an ice pack, by dragging a chair to the freezer when they went inside, and throwing the door open… which then smacked her in the face and gave her the other black eye. She looked like a racoon!

Maybe she could ask Wendy for some assistance on the down-low… Yeah, that's what she would do.

And then she'd take a job where she could shoot things to her heart's content.

It was a fantastic plan, all around.

Provided she wasn't ambushed on the way to the job board by another over-stressed parent, that is.


	14. First Guild Master's Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Lacey Dreyar - 8  
> Kitty Eucliffe - 7  
> Iori Mikazuchi - 6

Warm greetings assailed Lacey as she stood within the crowded hall, Laxus's fellow guild masters all thrilled to meet the grouchy dragon slayer's daughter. Nervousness held her rooted to the spot as she awkwardly shook hands with everyone that had approached her. Thankfully, it wasn't too long before Laxus shooed them away, claiming the meeting was about to start and introductions could resume afterward. It  _was_  kind of funny to see all of the adults slink away like chastened dogs, though.

The meeting was not exactly what she'd expected when she'd asked her father if she could come with him to the guild master meeting in Clover this year. It seemed a lot more boring than in her imagination. Her mother had told her that this was a gathering of some of the strongest mages in Fiore, so she'd assumed that there would be a lot of jostling and magic displays, like Natsu and Gray often had with Erza and her father. Instead, it just seemed to be a bunch of adults discussing boring things like new regulations and other guild politics.

Lacey was extremely relieved when it was all through for the day, though she did not relish the prospect of sitting through two more days of this. It might have interested if she had more understanding of what was being talked about and how it related to her, but for now it was all pretty meaningless to her.

Now that it was done, the introductions again resumed. It wasn't as bad the second time around, Lacey found. Especially when she discovered that she was not the only child present.

There was a child a couple of years younger than her, who clung to their mother's coat protectively. They looked a lot like their mother, with dark purple hair. Though unlike their mother's, it was bushy and struggling to escape the ponytail it had been confined to, and their bright red eyes bored into Lacey with interest.

With a smile, Kagura Mikazuchi – the guild master of Mermaid Heel – introduced her child to Lacey. "This is Iori. Iori, this is Lacey, guild master Laxus's daughter." Lacey smiled at the younger child. She remembered seeing Kagura once or twice before, as well as the child, but it had been a long time, and they had gotten a lot bigger. Lacey thought she recalled that the child's father was in Fairy Tail, but she struggled to place exactly who it was.

Giving it up for now, she stuck her hand out for the child to take. "It's nice to meet you, Iori!"

Iori nodded, and tentatively released Kagura's coat and extended a hand in return. "Nice to… meet you…" they returned softly, shaking hands with Lacey.

"They're a little shy around strangers," Lacey heard Kagura explain to Laxus. "But they really wanted to come anyway."

Laxus made a noise of affirmation. "I'm sure they're a chatterbox at home."

"Hey, Laxus! Kagura! What's up?" A blond man approached, a young girl hot on his heels. Lacey flinched at the sight of her, her stomach dropping to her toes.

The loud voice of the interloper caused Iori to immediately withdraw, huddling against their mother's coat with their eyes wide.

"Sting," greeted Laxus, his tone completely bored. "And Kitty."

"Lacey!" exclaimed the girl, her voice just as loud as her father's and ignoring the greeting of her father's coworker. "It's been a while!"

This was a trap, Lacey knew. She rarely encountered the girl, but she had had enough unpleasant meetings with her to be wary. It was unfortunate that she didn't see Lorn tagging along in the blonde's shadow. He was usually a good mitigating force on his best friend (at least, when pranks weren't involved).

It wasn't that Kitty was a bad person, per se. She was hyperactive and prone to pranking people, but it wasn't as if Fairy Tail didn't contain people of the same persuasion.

No, what had Lacey on edge…

Was Kitty's harshly competitive side.

Lacey wasn't sure where the girl had gotten the idea that Lacey was her arch rival, but nonetheless it had stuck with her for years. It was something Lacey had always  _hoped_  that Kitty would grow out of, only to discover that she had yet to do so. Maybe it had to do with the fact that they were both blonde daughters of blond dragon slayer guild masters. Or that they were nearly the same age. Or any number of things that honestly perplexed Lacey.

Regardless, it usually ended up with the two having a "friendly sparring match." Which tended to end in Lacey's favor only slightly more often than in Kitty's, which cemented the notion that they were rivals in Kitty's mind.

Lacey had come to the meeting expecting to see a Fairy Tail-typical brawl.

What Lacey hadn't considered is that it would be between her and Kitty.


	15. What's In A Name?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Lacey Dreyar - 9 months  
> Jean-Luc Justine - 9 months  
> Simon Scarlet-Fernandes - newborn

“Jellal.”

The man froze as his wife, her beautiful red hair plastered to her face with sweat, held out the swaddled bundle to him.

“Take him, Jellal,” Erza commanded, weariness in her brown eyes, though joy swam in their depths as well.  “It’s alright to hold your son.”

Arms shaking, Jellal gently took the infant from Erza, bringing him close to his chest.  Staring at him in wonder, he marveled at the child’s face.  It was wrinkly, and his eyes were squeezed shut in his sleep.  He was born with a tuft of hair on his head – a dark purple and very soft.

While he stared at his child’s peaceful face, a nurse entered the room, smiling at the happy couple and the new addition to their family.  “Think the two of you are ready for visitors?” she asked.

Jellal glanced at Erza.  “Do you feel up for it?  We can tell them to wait if we need to.”

She shook her head.  “If I make Fairy Tail wait any longer to see their newest guild member, they might destroy the hospital, and I’m not in a position to stop them right now.”

Her husband kindly kept his observation to himself that Erza was often a participator in the destruction, not a resolver of it.  “Alright then,” he accepted.  “But only one or two at a time.  I don’t want to overwhelm you.”

Erza snorted at that.  “If I can handle Pandemonium by myself, I can handle my friends being excited for us.”  She reached out and squeezed his arm.  “Really,” Erza told him softly.  “I’ll be fine.”

Assuaged, Jellal nodded, and sat down on the chair beside the hospital bed.  Looking up at the nurse, he said, “We’re ready.”

The nurse departed, and returned shortly with Makarov and a ghost – though the ghost wasn’t seen by either the nurse or by Jellal, Erza was happy to see Mavis there.  Especially given how difficult it was for the founder to be in hospitals and around newborns, given what happened with Rita so many years ago.  She hadn’t even come when Lacey and Jean-Luc were born, so afraid of a repeat of the past.

Mavis reached out to Erza first, stroking her cheek with a kind smile on her face.  “You did well, Erza.  He looks healthy.”

Beside her, Makarov took her hand.  “Congratulations, both of you.  How are you feeling, my child?”

“Exhausted.  Like I just fought in a battle,” Erza informed him.  “But… I’m happy.  I’m really happy.”

Mavis drifted over to Jellal and the newborn, reaching out to touch his fingertip.  To her surprise, his tiny fist curled around it.  “Have you thought of a name, yet?” Makarov asked behind her.

Jellal and Erza exchanged a glance.  They had decided upon a name long beforehand, when they found out they were having a son, and the choice was only cemented in looking at the child now.  But they had yet to ask permission from the person who needed to grant it.

“Yes and no,” Erza said, leaving it at that.

Makarov nodded.  “I remember when my own son was born.  Choosing a name can be incredibly difficult, but I’m sure whatever name you choose, he will grow into a fine person.”

“Thank you,” Erza said, tears welling up in her eyes.

After Makarov helped Mavis free herself under the guise of stroking the baby’s hand himself, the pair departed back to the waiting room to allow another pair to visit.

It was a bit of a long procession, Erza found.  There were a lot of people that wanted to see the child and the couple.  Jellal’s guild members, the members of Fairy Tail, and even people from other guilds came to see them.

At the end, when Erza could feel her strength flagging, the person they had been waiting for finally entered the room.

“Kagura,” Erza greeted with a tired smile.  “Thank you for coming.”

The woman nodded hesitantly, with a sidelong glance to where Jellal sat with his son.  “Wouldn’t miss it for anything,” she stated firmly.

When she saw Kagura glance over to Jellal again, Erza patted Kagura’s hand.  “It’s alright to hold him if you want.  You’re practically his aunt.”

Kagura swallowed thickly, and nodded.  When Jellal passed the bundle over to her, she stared just as enraptured by the infant as Jellal had been.  “What’s… what’s his name?” she asked after a long minute.

“About that.”  Jellal cleared his throat.  “We wanted to know if it was alright to name him… Simon.”

The woman inhaled sharply, her eyes widening and her grip on the infant tightening slightly – not enough to cause him discomfort, but more in an instinctual, protective gesture.

“We know it’s a lot to ask,” Jellal said.  “There’s a lot of history in the name, and a lot of bad blood between you and I.  And as Simon’s sister, the naming right _should_ go to you, if you ever had a child.  But we...”  Jellal swallowed thickly before continuing.  “Simon meant a lot to us, too.”

Kagura shook her head, and their hearts sank.    “I won’t name any child of mine after Simon.  I just… I wouldn’t be able to look at them if I did.  Would you do differently?  Would you be able to look at your son, and not see his namesake instead of him?  Because if you can’t, then you have no right to name this child after my brother.”

Her reply left Erza and Jellal speechless.  Did Kagura have a point?  Would they project their own regrets onto another Simon?  Their son did not deserve such treatment, especially not from his parents.  And yet…

Jellal broke the silence between them, staring Kagura in the eye as he spoke.  “I can’t promise that we’ll be perfect parents.  And there’s no denying that Simon is a name with a lot of baggage for us.  But…”  He hesitated for a moment, carefully considering how he wanted to phrase what needed to be said.  “The Simon we knew wasn’t… wasn’t just a random person who died because of us.  He was our childhood friend.  He was kind, and loyal, and he cared so much for his friends that even when I… even when I hurt Erza… hurt everyone, he still remained with me.  He didn’t have to – there were ways off the island.  He could have gone in search of Erza, or for you… but he didn’t.  Because he thought he could make a difference right where he was.  He stepped in front of certain death for someone he loved.  Simon was brave, more courageous than I could ever hope to be.  And I want _that_ legacy for my son.  I want _that hope_ for him.”

“We know it’s not going to be easy to raise him,” Erza said when Jellal faltered, her hand finding its way into Jellal’s.  “Jellal’s actions will haunt his footsteps for the rest of his life, and his family’s life, too.”  A forlorn smile made its way onto her face.  “Our children won’t have it easy.  But I wanted to name our firstborn after a protector – after _my_ protector.  If… if you still want to say no to our request, we’ll respect that.”

“But this is something we’ve given a lot of thought about,” finished Jellal.  “We’ll do right by Simon’s memory.  And we’ll do right by _this_ Simon, too.”

 Kagura’s eyes looked back and forth between the steadfast pair.  Then she nodded shortly, and looked down at the infant, a small smile breaking out on her face.  With tears forming in her eyes, she addressed the newborn.  “Welcome home then, Simon.  You will be loved here.”


	16. Sneaking Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Lacey Dreyar: 19  
> Ruby Scarlet-Fernandes: 17

The sky still black and her room dark, Ruby slid out from under her bed covers, shivering as her bare feet touched the cold floor of her bedroom.  She padded over to the clothes she’d laid out the night before and dressed as quietly as she could, not daring to turn the light on in her room.  Hopefully she’d put on nothing backwards, but that was a risk she was willing to take for the sake of secrecy.

When she was satisfied, she crept downstairs.

Only just about jump half out of her skin when a light suddenly switched on, her father peering at her, perplexed.  “It’s four thirty in the morning, Ruby,” Jellal stated.  He then patted the dining room table, indicating that she should sit down, as he took a seat at it himself.  “What are you doing up?”

Mortified at having been immediately caught, Ruby slunk her way over to the table.  She could make a break for the door, but then she’d have to deal with the consequences when she returned later.  Assuming her father didn’t catch her before she even reached the exit.  Instead, she tried to deflect the question away from herself.  “What about you?  What are you doing up so early?  I thought no one would be awake, yet.”

He raised an eyebrow at his eldest daughter.  “I was thirsty.”  With a wave of his hand, he indicated a half-full glass of water in front of him on the table.

“So you were drinking in the dark?” Ruby questioned, more than a little confused by her father’s actions.  “Just what sort of person does that?”

“One who doesn’t want to wake up your mother, much like you were trying not to,” Jellal responded.  “Your turn.  Why were you sneaking out under the cover of darkness?”

Ruby slumped in her seat.  “I begged Lacey to show me her morning training routine,” she admitted.  When Jellal looked unconvinced, she added, “I swear!  She’s super strong, and I need better muscle conditioning, so I thought maybe I could get some inspiration from her.  She gets up godawful early, though.  I was planning to grab something from the fridge for breakfast, and leave without waking anyone up.  I wasn’t planning anything else, I promise.”

To her surprise, Jellal nodded.  “I believe you.  You take your training as seriously as your mother does, after all.  But I wish you had mentioned it to us.  We could have prepared a good meal for you before you left.”

Flushing, Ruby refused to meet his gaze.  “I kind of wanted to do it on my own.  That was… sort of the whole point of asking Lacey instead of you and Mom, or Simon.  I’m not going to get stronger than you if I’m just copying all of you or relying on you all the time.”

He stared at her for a long moment, and then heaved a sigh.  “I suppose I should have expected this long before now.  You’re growing up, after all.  It’s kind of inevitable that you’d want independence from us eventually.”

“Not completely!” Ruby protested, holding up a hand to forestall him from whatever track he was headed down.  “Just… I’m seventeen already, Dad.  Let _me_ figure out how I want to improve.  I love Mom but she can be more than a little tyrannical in that department.  And you’re not much better.”

Holding up his hands in surrender, Jellal relented.  “Message received.  I’ll pass it along to Erza.  Just let us know what we can do to help, though, alright?  And where you’re going when it’s at odd hours.  We love you, and we worry about you.”

“That’s acceptable,” Ruby stated.  She slid her chair back and stood up.  “Do you mind if I get going, now?  I’m going to be late meeting Lacey at this rate.”

“At least take some toast to eat on the way,” Jellal told her.

“Got it.  See you later, Dad.”

“Good luck, Ruby.”

At the odd farewell, Ruby cast a confused glance at her father.  But then she remembered that she was late, and she pushed it out of her mind for the time being.

Jellal stood up from the table as well, and entered the kitchen.  He would have to prepare something special for Ruby for when she staggered on home, and maybe prepare a compress of some kind.

Because he had seen that training course of Lacey’s once before, years ago, when he and Erza had been trying to devise something for their own children.  And that course had been particularly nasty back then.  Jellal had no doubt that it was truly hellacious now.

Ruby was going to come back incredibly sore and regretting life, he was sure.

He was, it turned out, completely correct, and Ruby was extremely grateful for the warm meal, warm drinks, and the warming packs he left out for her incredibly unhappy muscles.


	17. Favors Asked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Ages:
> 
> Jean-Luc Justine: 19  
> Fae Strauss: 5

With the team taking a break from jobs for a short while – ostensibly to take care of personal business and to recuperate after an especially trying one – Jean-Luc came to the mistaken conclusion that he’d finally have time to catch up on his reading.  The large stacks of books in his room that he needed to go through, for both enjoyment and research alike, had begun to look a little precarious as of late.  If it continued to grow without Jean-Luc going through them, there was a serious danger of being buried by them one day.  Furthermore, he was fairly certain that there was at least one or two overdue library books that he… really needed to return soon, before they started sending him passive-aggressive letters about it.  Again.  (In his defense, his team was often away from Magnolia on jobs that would endanger the books so it wasn’t like he could bring them with him to read.)

So the arrival of a long-anticipated day off was more than welcome to the nineteen-year-old.  Jean-Luc had even borrowed Levy’s wind glasses for the occasion, hoping to thoroughly decimate his backlog of books.

It was not to be, however.

Just as he was settling down to begin his marathon of learning, he was stopped by the sound of his mother calling his name.  Jean-Luc glanced longingly at the books, before sighing and making his way downstairs to where his mother stood at the door.  To his surprise, she wasn’t alone.

“Aunt Evergreen,” he greeted, pleased to see her.  “Good morning.  What brings you here?”  It was almost worth being interrupted for a chance to talk to her.  It wasn’t often that she went around visiting, so this was a rare occasion indeed.

She smiled at him, the light catching on her glasses.  “Good morning, Jean-Luc.  I actually came to ask you a favor, if that’s alright.”

Any pleasant feelings that Jean-Luc may have had fled at those words.  A “favor” from Evergreen only ever meant one thing.

“Fae needs a babysitter?” he supplied, dread settling into his stomach.

“Yes.  I’m sorry, but I have to run a few errands for a couple of hours with your mother, and I can’t bring Fae with me.  I could really use the help.”  Her smile turned apologetic.  “I’m afraid that Titanus is out for the day, and Oberon is on a job with Elfman.  And Lilo has her hands full with her brothers today.  So if you could take her to the park and make sure she gets a snack, I’d be extremely grateful.”

The teenager mulled over the request.  He didn’t doubt that his aunt was being truthful about needing some assistance.  And normally, he didn’t mind doing favors for his family, but…

This was _Fae_ they were talking about, after all.  As much as he loved his little cousin, she was… more than a bit of a handful.  Jean-Luc wasn’t especially comfortable around young children in the first place.  In fact, it was something he generally avoided at all costs.

Jean-Luc let out a sigh.  “I’m sorry, Aunt Evergreen.  I’m afraid I have too much work to-”

“I’ll pay you for your trouble, of course.”

“I’ll do it,” he replied instantly.  Money was money, after all.  Maybe he could scrape together enough funds to get his own pair of wind reading glasses, so he wouldn’t have to keep borrowing Levy’s or his father’s pairs.  His sword had needed some maintenance, so he was a little low on funds at the moment.  And there was those impending overdue fines from the library to consider.  Even just a little extra cash would be wonderful.

“Thank you!”  Evergreen and Mirajane both beamed at him for his easy response, and Jean-Luc couldn’t help the creeping feeling that maybe he’d been tricked, somehow.

It was only now that he thought to question just what sort of errand the pair of them were doing, where they couldn’t bring Fae.  He really, really hoped it wasn’t another modeling shoot for Sorcerer Weekly.  Seeing his family members in the magazine’s special spreads was a specific sort of horror for him.

He glanced around, and furrowed his brow in confusion.  “Speaking of which, where is Fae?”

Evergreen’s entire body stiffened, and her eyes widened.  Whipping her head around behind her, she stared at the vacant spot where Fae should have been.

From somewhere out in the yard, Jean-Luc heard a distinctive, high-pitched cackle.  Followed shortly by the proclamation, “I rule this wall, now!  Bow down before your queen!”

As Evergreen rushed to diffuse whatever situation was brewing, Jean-Luc found himself already regretting having capitulated so quickly.


End file.
